That Familiar Taste of Blood
by Himizu-chan
Summary: Third in my OHC Vampire series. The Lobelia Clan has set a trap for the Ouran Clan, vampire hunters are crawling everywhere, the gang will be forcibly separated, and Honey is compelled to confront the most traumatic event of his past when the dead seem to resurface, while everyone else tries to survive and keep their relationships intact. Same pairings as the rest of the series.
1. Chapter 1

That Familiar Taste of Blood

Chapter 1

A/N: This is the third fanfic in my OHC Vampire series. Technically it is a sequel to The Bloody Ties that Bind. If you've been reading the series from the beginning, thank you for continuing to read this series! If you're new, then welcome! You should read Bloody Ties first because that establishes pretty much all the rules of the universe, and then read Healing Bloody Wounds which is technically a prequel but I wrote Bloody Ties first so I didn't bother explaining all the rules over again. Then come back and read this otherwise you'll be really confused cuz I'm just gonna jump right in here.

Oh, and for anyone who has read Blow Me One Last Kiss, I'm eventually bringing in a familiar OC! You don't have to read that fic or know anything about the OC to enjoy this because I'm just bringing over her name, appearance, and like two personal characteristics… but yeah, I'm borrowing one of my own OC's. They're mine, I can do that. Not telling who it is yet though cuz… it would kinda give stuff away.

So without further ado, on with the fic!

Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran Host Club or its characters, but I do own this universe and any OC's in it.

* * *

It had been ten years since she'd been taken by the vampire clan Ouran. Ten years since she'd been released. Ten years since she'd chosen to come back.

"Oh, look at my darling daughter! Isn't she just the loveliest little rose you've ever seen in your life?"

"She's not your daughter, Tamaki, and will you please stop shouting and leave her alone?"

Ten… very… long… years.

Four hands roamed over her slender body, carefully adjusting the beautiful light blue form-fitting gown she was wearing. These four hands were carefully staying out of Tamaki's sight, but eventually…

"ARGH! WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING WITH YOUR HANDS ALL OVER HER?!"

"Relax, boss, we got this covered. You want her to look amazing for the Lobelia delegates, don't you?" Hikaru demanded, sticking his tongue out at his vampire master.

"MOMMYYYYYY!" Tamaki whined, turning towards the only other vampire in the room for help as Haruhi batted away the wandering hands of the twins.

The expression on Kyouya's face suggested that he was really struggling with the idea of letting Tamaki live long enough to say that he had put up with the drama queen for a full century. When the prince was annoying everyone else, Kyouya would occasionally mutter something along the lines of how he'd been dealing with Tamaki for far longer than anyone else, and everyone should stop coming to him for help controlling the other vampire.

"Tamaki…" Kyouya said at last. "I will not ask you again, please stop shouting. Kaoru, Hikaru, you both know as well as I do that the delegates from Lobelia are not going to care one iota about Haruhi or what she is wearing, so please stop using that as an excuse to touch her before Tamaki has an aneurysm. Besides, Lord Mori will be here any second, and I'm sure you won't like the consequences if he sees what you're doing right now."

The twins obediently removed their hands for about six seconds before gripping her arms and forcing her to sit in one of the ornate chairs that decorated the room. Then Kaoru moved to put a hand on Kyouya's shoulder, the pair soon conversing in hushed tones. Hikaru made his way over to Tamaki, and the pair was soon wrapped up in bickering, as was their custom. Haruhi glanced towards the door at one end of the room, waiting for the appearance of two more vampires.

Well, one of those vampires in particular.

Okay, so life with Clan Ouran wasn't always so bad…

The door swung open and everyone rose to bow and curtsey before Lord Honey as he bounded in and settled on his throne. Lord Mori was directly behind him, and although he didn't go over to Haruhi, his eyes raked appreciatively over her, and a smile flashed briefly across his face. Color rose up in her cheeks and she tried not to smile too eagerly at him. Instead, she forced herself to relax against the chair, waiting until the Lobelia delegates arrived.

The Lobelia and Ouran clans had been at war for years, Haruhi knew. She had inadvertently wandered into the middle of that war ten years ago… Although the leader of the Lobelia clan, Lady Benibara, had become fixated on Haruhi, she had escaped with her life, and she knew she was safe as long as she was under the protection of Mori and the rest of Clan Ouran.

The delegates arriving tonight represented the first time Ouran and Lobelia had attempted to negotiate peace in nearly twenty years, Haruhi remembered Kyouya explaining. Naturally, Lord Honey wanted as much wealth and power on display as possible. Everyone was decked out in their finest clothing, including Haruhi, who was currently cursing everything to do with laces as she tried to draw breath. It was common knowledge that Lobelia looked at humans as little more than meat, and that they treated their human servants poorly… Indeed, the members of Lobelia wouldn't be able to understand why humans were even allowed to sit in on the meeting, unable to fathom that Haruhi, Hikaru, and Kaoru were actually respected members of the clan despite being among the living. Which, of course, was why Honey was allowing the trio to stay. It was exactly his style… trying to throw the Lobelia delegates off balance.

"They'll be here soon," Kyouya said softly, rising from his seat at his desk.

Hikaru and Kaoru instantly moved to sit on either side of Haruhi, while Kyouya and Tamaki took their places next to Lord Honey's throne. And they waited.

There was a knock at the door, and then it swung open to reveal three women dressed in dark red dresses. Heads held high, they walked into the room as though they owned it, barely inclining their heads to the young man on the throne surrounded by his most loyal vampires. They didn't even acknowledge the three humans sitting on one side of the room, not that anyone had expected them to.

One of the women approached the throne, inclining her head the minimum amount that politeness dictated. "Lord Honey… Our mistress, Lady Benibara, humbly requests the honor of your esteemed presence. She wishes us to inform you that she dislikes the delays that are inevitable when attempting to negotiate through intermediate parties, and she believes everyone could reach an agreement if there were a face-to-face meeting. In neutral territory, of course," she added with a bland smile.

Lord Honey's smile was positively malevolent, sweet as sugar laced with cyanide. "And I suppose at least one of you is old enough to remember the last time we had a face-to-face meeting, hm?" he asked, resting his cheek against one hand. "Your poor mistress, did she ever find another second-in-command as deliciously loyal as sweet little Kayko? And if she did… could she afford to have another loyal soldier throw themselves in front of my claws to save her life?" He licked his lips, a predatory gleam appearing in his eyes, and Haruhi shivered as she received a stark reminder that Lord Honey's appearance could be VERY deceiving.

The woman in front of his managed not to take a step back, though she seemed to have developed a tic above one eye. "Lady Kayko was a good and loyal soldier, only doing what any of her clan would have done to protect our lady," she said at last.

"Yes, I suppose shoving your mistress aside and letting herself be eviscerated in her place so that the rest of your sniveling clan could run is a mark of dedication for you, isn't it?" Lord Honey said, coolly examining his fingernails.

The young woman frowned. "Mistress Beni thought you might have reservations, and she has sent her assurances that the talks will be quite safe for you and your entourage… as long as the humans don't wander about unattended of course. She said you would of course understand that her clan does have to feed, but would respect your boundaries if your humans were accompanied."

"That seems fair," Lord Honey agreed, his gaze scarcely flickering to the three humans.

Haruhi had gone still, thinking of Benibara and remembering her blazing eyes and horrible claws… She didn't even realize she'd been trembling until Hikaru and Kaoru each placed a hand on her shoulders, steadying her. Mori's face was still turned towards the delegates, but she caught his eyes resting on her, making sure she was okay. She dipped her head a fraction of an inch, and he returned his focus to the talks. Haruhi exhaled slowly, forcing herself to relax. Mori would protect her. All of them would. She would be safe.

Lord Honey steepled his fingers, watching the three delegates and letting the silence drag on for a few moments. "A neutral location, you say? Where will you find such a place? Surely no one but our own allies would wish to play host to a vampire conference."

"Our lady has a perfect location… an estate that has been recently vacated… the occupant passed away and the heirs are too busy squabbling over the title and money to bother with a drafty old manor house. She has heard from many sources that the castle will be vacant for two months, beginning tomorrow."

"Very well," Lord Honey agreed. "I presume we will each be sending an advance party to make sure there will be no double-crossing or traps."

"Lady Benibara indicated you would request as much, and she has agreed. She wishes for the conference to begin in ten days, if that is convenient for you, milord?"

Lord Honey's fingers drummed lightly on the arm of his throne. "A week would suit us better."

The woman nodded. "Her Ladyship will be able to make that work. She looks forward to seeing you again, as well as the rest of your people. To your good health, sir," she finished with a small curtsy, and she and the other two women backed out of the room.

"You know it's a trap, don't you?" Kyouya said the moment the door was closed.

Lord Honey snorted. "Of course it's a trap; I expect nothing less from Lobelia. I'm half-surprised that meeting didn't end with one of them trying to slip a blade between my ribs, but it lacks the subtlety and finesse Beni prides herself on. She'll surely have something fun planned for the conference, so we'll all have to stay on our toes," he added, glancing around the room.

Before any of them could move, there was a knock at the door, and everyone stared in surprise. After a moment, the door swung open, and a servant stood at the threshold, but didn't actually enter the room. "Milord…" he began hesitantly.

"Yes, what is it?" Lord Honey demanded impatiently.

"The Lobelia delegates nearly forgot that they had a personal message from Lady Benibara to deliver to you. I have it here, milord," the servant said, still not entering the room completely.

Lord Honey made a vague gesture with his hand. "Haruhi, would you take that from him and read it to us?"

"Of course," she exclaimed, rising to her feet, relieved that she wasn't shaking any longer. She took the folded parchment from the servant, who fled at once. Haruhi returned to her chair and sat down before opening the parchment. Trying to ignore the way the twins leaned over to read over her shoulder, she cleared her throat and read:

"Lady Benibara of Clan Lobelia extends her compliments to Lord Honey of Clan Ouran and looks forward to seeing him at the peace talks. She advises that Lord Honey and his retinue take care on the road, as there have been reports of increased hunter activity in the area. Most of them should be easy for such a strong clan to overpower, but take special care to guard against the one called Enishi. Best regards."

As Haruhi finished reading, a strangled noise came from the direction of the throne. She and the twins looked up to see that Lord Honey was gripping the arms of his throne in a death-grip. His claws pierced the antique wood, dark shards splintering off beneath his hands. His head was bowed, golden hair hiding his face for the moment.

"That… that's not much of a threat…" Hikaru whispered.

"It's surprisingly polite even," Kaoru added in an equally low whisper.

When Lord Honey looked up, everyone instinctively recoiled at the look on his face and the ferocious scarlet glow of his eyes. "Everyone get out…" he snarled, his voice suddenly at least two octaves deeper, more dangerous than anything Haruhi had ever heard.

"Milord, what…?" Tamaki began.

"I said get out… NOW!" Lord Honey growled.

Tamaki and Kyouya both started to retreat. The twins grabbed Haruhi's elbows and pulled her to her feet, keeping her almost behind them as they backed towards the door. Only Mori had the courage to stay close to his cousin.

"Mitsukuni…" he began.

"What part of 'get out' is confusing all of you?" Honey practically roared.

"It cannot possibly be him…" Mori began. "It has been over eighty years…"

"I SAID GET OUT!" Honey shouted, practically launching himself out of his throne.

The last thing Haruhi saw before the twins yanked her out of the room was Mori launching himself forward to grab Honey, restraining him as Tamaki and Kyouya pulled the doors shut behind them, cutting off the scene from view.

* * *

A/N: And so we begin our new adventure! I hope it proves as enjoyable as the others have been so far! I have a whole bunch of really interesting ideas…

And no, the OC I mentioned earlier was not in this chapter. She won't be appearing for a little while. I'll post a note at the beginning of her first chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A/N: I'm so happy to see how many people are sticking with this little series! Yay! This chapter is a little short, just getting into a little of why Honey reacted so badly to the name in the last chapter. I thought this would be longer, but I got to the point that I wanted to stop at, so… here we are. Please enjoy!

Oh, and I forgot to mention this in the last chapter, I stole the name Enishi from Rurouni Kenshin. Anyone who has read Blow Me One Last Kiss knows that I have a tendency to steal names from other animes I enjoy… Naming characters is hard x_X

Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran Host Club or any characters except my own OC's

* * *

Hikaru and Kaoru didn't let go of Haruhi's elbows as they moved down the hallways towards the room she shared with Mori. Tamaki and Kyouya trailed several yards behind them, their heads bent towards each other, engaged in a conversation too low for human ears to pick up.

"So do either of you have half a clue what the heck happened back there?" Haruhi demanded, letting them drag her along the hallway even though she could have easily wrenched herself free. They had jumped to get her out of harm's way when she had been inclined to stay close to Mori, so the least she could do was let them escort her.

As one, the twins shook their heads. "Sorry, not a single clue," they chorused.

"And… that's… that's not normal, is it?" she asked at last. She was fairly certain it wasn't, had never seen Lord Honey lose his cool like that, but then she'd only lived in the castle for ten years. The twins had been here for around sixty years…

Hikaru and Kaoru exchanged significant looks. Hikaru's jaw clenched slightly, and Kaoru's eyes darted back towards the vampires behind them.

"We've never seen anything like it," Hikaru finally answered.

"Kyouya and Tamaki probably know what's up though…" Kaoru mused, half to himself.

"And Mori certainly would," Hikaru added, lifting his eyebrows at Haruhi.

"What are you suggesting, that I interrogate him when he comes back?" Haruhi demanded.

"Well obviously," Hikaru snorted.

"Mori will definitely know what's going on, even if Kyouya and Tamaki don't," Kaoru added, though his eyes kept flicking back. He was clearly certain that Kyouya at least would know what was going on.

"You don't think…" Haruhi paused, licking dry lips. "You don't think Lord Honey will…?" She couldn't finish the question.

"Mori will be fine," Kaoru insisted, his grip tightening for a moment against her elbow, an oddly reassuring gesture.

"Yeah, Lord Honey would never hurt his cousin… not for anything," Hikaru agreed.

Reassured, Haruhi let them pull her up to the doorway of her room.

"Do you want us to come in?" Kaoru asked her, amber eyes focusing on her and studiously ignoring the vampires still hanging back several yards.

"No, I'll be fine," Haruhi promised. "Mori should be back soon anyways." That was more a hope than a definitive statement, but she projected confidence anyways.

"If you're sure," Hikaru sighed. When she nodded, the twins turned in perfect unison, heading to their vampire masters. Tamaki had a worried expression on his face and he wasn't paying much attention to Haruhi, but Kyouya caught her eye for just a moment before light flashed off his glasses, hiding the subtle nuances of his expression from her gaze.

Haruhi stepped into her room and shut the door carefully behind her, leaning against it for a moment and exhaling heavily. She realized that her hands were shaking and she took several deep breaths to steady herself. Between seeing members of the Lobelia clan and then watching Lord Honey have a complete freak-out… Haruhi shook her head.

Moving to stand in front of the mirror, she studied herself for a moment. Her dark brown hair had grown out a little, but she was still very much the same young woman she'd been ten years ago. In more ways than one… being the human mate of a vampire meant that she would never age unless she and Mori parted company. It also gave her some enhanced senses, and greater speed and strength, but she didn't use these much really.

Her fingers absently fingered the red mark on the side of her neck, the spot where Mori took her blood. After a few moments, she reached backwards, her fingers brushing against the laces of her gown, seeking purchase on the silky strings.

Then a larger hand covered her small ones, and she froze for a moment. And then cool lips pressed against the back of her neck even as nimble fingers worked the laces loose, and she could breathe freely at last.

"Takashi…" she sighed as she took her first proper breath in hours.

His fingers stilled for a moment. "Are you alright?" he asked at last.

"I will be," she decided after a moment. She remained perfectly still as he finished unlacing her gown, though neither of them made a move to remove it. "How is he?" she asked finally.

Mori didn't answer right away, and she could almost see the frown that she was sure must be on his face. "Not well," he said at last.

"Takashi… what happened in there?" Haruhi asked at last.

Mori shook his head. "It was a long time ago."

"That doesn't mean it's not still relevant," Haruhi argued. "I think he proved that tonight, don't you?"

"He overreacted. He will be fine."

It was painfully obvious that Mori did not want to have this conversation. The proper thing to do would be to let the topic die, but Haruhi simply wasn't sure she could do that.

"She got under his skin and she's not even here," Haruhi heard herself say.

Mori was unnaturally still, even for him (and she had known him to sit for hours with only the barest of movements). "Coincidence. She can't have known…" He trailed off and shook his head.

Haruhi turned around to face him at last. "Takashi, are you protecting Honey? Or are you trying to protect me?"

"Why can't it be both?" he asked, the slight lift of his eyebrows indicating that he was trying to joke with her, but it came across as much more serious.

"Takashi, please!" Haruhi exclaimed, frustration overwhelming her. "You know me better than anyone… surely you can tell how scared I am about this meeting with Lobelia! Benibara is playing mind games with our leader, and if we start fragmenting… it'll be that much easier for them to…" She couldn't finish that thought, and instead covered her face with her hands.

Mori said nothing, only pulled her into his arms and held her against him as her body shook with suppressed sobs. The last time she had seen the leader of Clan Lobelia, she had been sure she would die… and then even more sure that Mori was going to die because of her… It had been a very near thing, and she didn't know if she was ready to face those terrifying vampires again. Even under Mori's protection, there had been terrible danger…

"You don't need to be afraid," he whispered into her air. "I won't let anyone touch you."

"I know…" she sighed. He had proved willing to die for her already, and their bond had only become stronger since then. "But Takashi… I don't…"

"It must be a coincidence," Mori said, understanding her question. "She could not possibly know about Enishi."

"Enishi the vampire hunter?" Haruhi clarified.

Mori sighed. "It is not the same Enishi. It cannot be. Mitsukuni and I fought him many years ago. He was mortally wounded. Even if he survived the wounds, he would be long dead."

"There was another Enishi then?" Haruhi clarified.

"Years ago," Mori agreed.

"And Benibara knew about him?"

"She can't possibly…" Mori's eyes closed. "Only Mitsukuni and I know the significance of that name."

"What is…?" Haruhi began, but Mori shook his head.

"Leave it buried," he said quietly.

"But… Lord Honey… He is obviously…" Haruhi floundered for words.

"He will be fine," Mori replied.

"You can't possibly know that!" Haruhi argued.

Mori just gave her a significant look, then started running his fingers through her hair. She relaxed against him a little, then tilted her head up to look at him properly.

"I know you know him better than anyone else in this castle," she said softly. "Probably in this world even. But even Kyouya and Tamaki are worried. We've never seen him act like this."

Mori closed his eyes for a moment. "I can't tell you the whole story," he said at last.

"Then give me a summary," Haruhi pleaded.

Mori didn't speak for a moment, and Haruhi thought that even this request might be ignored. But after a few moments, Mori spoke again. "The fight where Mitsukuni mortally wounded Enishi… it was our second battle."

Haruhi waited, but Mori didn't say anything. Finally Haruhi decided on the appropriate question to ask. "What happened during the first battle?"

Mori was so still, he might have been a marble statue. And the words that he spoke made Haruhi's blood run cold. "Enishi killed a young woman… Mitsukuni's human mate."

* * *

A/N: Told you it was short… But that's where I wanted to stop… I'll try to get the next chapter written soon… but I have so many fics in progress right now… Why do I do this to myself? I don't even know.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A/N: I like this chapter… There is this random Tamaki/Hikaru moment that's just… dear lord. Why do I do this to myself? I have problems… Oh well, it's all good.

And thanks to said Tamaki/Hikaru moment, I didn't get as far as I wanted in this chapter, so I don't know what that's going to do to the next chapter… guess I'll find out when I start writing it!

Disclaimer: Don't own Ouran Host Club or any characters

* * *

Haruhi blinked her eyes several hours later. Even though it was surely the middle of the day, the heavy curtains didn't let in even the smallest ray of sun, leaving the room shrouded in near-darkness at all hours unless candles were lit.

After Mori had dropped that little bombshell, he had refused to answer any more of Haruhi's questions, so she had let the subject drop. Instead, she had let Mori help her out of that restrictive gown, and then he'd fed on her blood, and they'd indulged in some carnal pleasures before they'd both fallen asleep in that massive bed. It was a comfortable routine they'd fallen into.

Haruhi tilted her head, ignoring the slight ache on the side of her neck. Usually it was relatively pain-free, but even Mori's self-control wasn't perfect, and he sometimes bit her harder than he meant to… but of course she always forgave him.

Mori was perfectly still in slumber, his arms wrapped loosely around her body, loose enough that she could easily wiggle free if she chose. Even in the semi-darkness, she could see the faint tan glow of his skin. She could only imagine what he'd looked like when he was alive if that glow could survive a century of undeath.

She shifted, preparing to get out of bed, when Mori's eyes snapped open. Haruhi smiled at him. "Good morning. Or afternoon. Or something," she said with a shrug.

Mori nodded, but his expression was troubled. Haruhi wiggled from his embrace and moved towards the wardrobe to select an outfit for the day.

"If the weather's nice, I might step out to the gardens… if you don't mind, of course," she said as she flicked through her gowns, looking for something a bit looser and more casual than the one she'd worn for the Lobelia delegates.

"I don't think that's a good idea at the moment," Mori said quietly.

Haruhi froze, fingers clenching reflexively at the silken sleeve in front of her. Finally she turned her head, drinking in Mori's sculpted chest, bathed in the shadowy half-light of their bedroom. "Why? What's wrong?" she asked, her blood running ice-cold as she tried to imagine what he could be sensing that was imperceptible to her.

He shook his head slightly. "Maybe nothing. I… I want to check on Mitsukuni first."

Haruhi turned around completely to face him. "Takashi… it's daytime… you would not accompany me to the gardens anyways."

"I know."

"So… what is it?" she asked.

"I don't want to alarm you…" he began.

"Too late, I'm alarmed," Haruhi said grimly. "So you might as well tell me what's wrong… It may be better than what I'm imagining."

Mori ducked his head in acknowledgement of her point. "Mitsukuni may have recovered from the events of last night," he said slowly, "but if he has not… the rest of the clan will pick up on it. And we can't be sure how they'll react."

Haruhi understood the wisdom of this. Although the four vampires that led the clan were quite human-like, most vampires were more bestial, more prone to giving in to their hungers and their urges. They were held in check by the iron fist of Lord Honey and his closest associates, but… if he was out of commission… it could be anarchy. It wouldn't bode well for any human, but she was a relatively new human servant, and some vampires would be blaming her for the recent increase in conflict with Lobelia which had led to the peace talks… It could be very dangerous for her to wander the castle alone now, even if every vampire within the walls knew that she was under Mori's protection.

"Until I know for sure how things stand, you should remain here," Mori said quietly. "Don't leave until I come back."

"Okay," Haruhi agreed immediately. It was a sensible plan. "And then what?"

"We'll see how safe it is," Mori sighed. "You know I'll protect you with my life."

"I know," she whispered, reaching out to clasp his hand for a moment, the skin cool beneath her fingertips. Then she let go, and Mori quickly slipped on his sleeveless periwinkle blue shirt and black jacket, both of which were immaculate despite having spent the night on the floor.

Once her vampire was gone, Haruhi quickly dressed and began to pace the room, unable to sit still as she waited to find out what was going on in the rest of the castle.

Mori was grim when he returned. His cousin was still in a state of rage and disbelief, and not even Mori could shake him from it. The castle was still running mostly smoothly, but Mori insisted that Haruhi not leave their room unless he could accompany her.

The week did not improve. Lord Honey was still in a state, and Mori's worry for his cousin was obvious… and infectious. Mori became so paranoid for Haruhi's safety that he wouldn't even leave her alone in their room… when he couldn't look after her himself, he would take her to Kyouya's room where the aloof vampire or his cheerful human servant could look after her. And that was at least better than staying in her room all day, Haruhi had to admit… Hikaru would often visit as well, and the twins were at least an interesting distraction, even if they often drove Kyouya out of the room with their antics. Where he went during that time, Haruhi couldn't possibly say… but Kaoru seemed to know, and he didn't seem to mind.

Finally it was time for the Lobelia conference. The advance party had sent word that the manor house, though sparsely furnished, was both lovely and secure, in a perfectly neutral area. There was no sign of trickery from the Lobelia clan, though Lord Honey did insist that everyone remain vigilant. And the day before they were scheduled to leave, Lord Honey called a meeting with his inner circle.

"We're heading to the meeting place tonight," he said without preamble as soon as his three most trusted vampires and their human mates had assembled.

"You suspect Lobelia's treachery, milord?" Kyouya asked, sounding as calm as though he were inquiring about the weather.

Lord Honey rolled his eyes. "I always suspect treachery from Benibara and her infernal cohorts," he replied.

"So what's the plan?" Hikaru asked.

Lord Honey steepled his fingers, resting the tips against his chin. "We'll instruct the rest of the clan to follow us in the usual procession tomorrow night, just as we planned. But tonight… tonight, the seven of us will slip out of the castle and head to the manor ourselves. I want only those I truly trust to check out the area before the talk is scheduled to begin.

"We'll be vulnerable," Kaoru pointed out quietly.

"True," Lord Honey agreed, "but we'll be more vulnerable travelling in a large and obvious caravan if Benibara has mischief on her mind. The small size of our group will work to our advantage."

Mori's arms were crossed. His expression was impossible to read. Tamaki's violet eyes were wide and nervous. Kyouya was calm and poised, but his eyes flashed calculatingly, already planning the route they would take and predicting the obstacles they were likely to encounter.

"We leave in an hour," Lord Honey declared in a tone that booked no argument. Then he left the room, trailed by Mori as usual.

An hour later, Haruhi was met at her door by Kaoru.

"Kyouya sent me to fetch you," the redhead explained. "He is meeting with Mori and Honey before they rendezvous with the rest of us."

Haruhi nodded in understanding, shutting the door behind her and following her friend out to the moonlit courtyard safely ensconced in the middle of the castle. It was completely cut off from the gardens that surrounded the castle and could only be accessed from the innermost part of the castle, an area only accessible by the inner circle and those that were invited in. It was from this hidden area that they would be departing, and it was in this secluded little oasis that Haruhi and Kaoru came across a rather unexpected sight.

Tamaki was draped artistically across an ornately carved bench, his head resting in Hikaru's lap. Rather than shouting at the vampire or shoving him away, Hikaru was actually allowing this, and even running his fingers through the golden locks.

Kaoru grabbed Haruhi's arm and held her still, both of them ducking out of sight of the pair on the bench. Haruhi shot a questioning glance at Kaoru, and he just winked at her.

Tamaki's eyes had been closed as Hikaru played with his hair, but now they flickered open and he glanced up at the redhead. "There won't be any distractions around tonight."

"I'm sure you could find a distraction if you looked hard enough," Hikaru said dryly, glancing disinterestedly around the garden. The effect would have been more convincing if his fingers hadn't continued to card through Tamaki's hair.

Tamaki tilted his head to look at Hikaru more closely. "You know I apologized for that instance with Mey-Rin… It really wasn't what it looked like."

"Hm, yes, that's what you said the time before that… and the time before that… and the one before that… Shall I go on?"

"You knew what you were getting into…" Tamaki murmured, his eyes half-closing, giving Hikaru his best seductive gaze.

Hikaru rolled his eyes. "I knew that if I bound myself to you, I could stay close to my brother. Don't flatter yourself that it meant anything more."

"Does that lie help you sleep better at night?" Tamaki asked.

"Not really," Hikaru admitted.

"I don't mean to hurt you, you know," Tamaki murmured.

"Trust me, I'm thick-skinned," Hikaru said with a rueful grin. "If you keep coming back to me, and I get to kick your ass every now and then… We're just fine."

"I'll try to do better," Tamaki insisted, half-sitting up, and nearly moving into Hikaru's lap.

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Hikaru whispered, his amber eyes slightly hooded as he spoke.

Tamaki said nothing, just leaned forward to press his lips to Hikaru's.

After they'd kissed for a few moments, Kaoru nudged Haruhi lightly and they stepped out into the garden. "Aww, aren't you two just adorable?" Kaoru said casually, only a tinge of mischief in his voice.

Hikaru jerked away from Tamaki as though his lips were burning him and he made an irritated noise. Tamaki just smiled innocently at both of them.

"Really, if you don't want someone to see you, you shouldn't indulge in displays of affection somewhere where others might happen across you," a voice said behind them, and they all turned to see Kyouya materialize out of the shadows. How long he'd been there was anyone's guess.

"Where are Honey and Mori?" Tamaki asked as he swiveled to sit up properly next to Hikaru.

"They've already left," Kyouya informed him, "and you might have noticed that yourself if you hadn't been… otherwise engaged. At least it was your mate this time and not another poor servant girl," he added mildly.

"That wasn't what it looked like!" Tamaki insisted furiously.

"By all means, do enlighten us… what were you actually doing with poor little Mey-Rin then?" Kyouya asked, one eyebrow going up.

Before this could become a full-blown argument and someone said something she REALLY didn't want to hear, Haruhi interrupted them. "Mori's already left?" she asked.

Kyouya blinked. "Ah… yes, he has. He didn't tell you?"

Haruhi shook her head.

"He and Lord Honey have gone ahead to make sure the trail is clear for us."

"Will they be safe alone like that?" Haruhi asked, her hands clenching.

"They're both over a century old, they'll be just fine," Kyouya told her calmly. "In the meantime… I believe Lord Mori usually carries you whenever the two of you travel?"

Color rose up in Haruhi's cheeks. She was still a novice when it came to using her augmented skills, and she would never be able to keep up with these more experienced humans and vampires… The twins had been augmented for around sixty years already, and she had managed to pry from Kaoru that the twins had once been in training to be hunters… though they had given all their loyalty to Ouran now, they were still nearly as skilled as some vampires…

"Ah, don't worry, my delicate flower!" Tamaki exclaimed, springing gracefully to his feet. "For I shall shoulder the burden myself, carrying you in my arms like the princess that you are!" And with that, he moved to swoop Haruhi off her feet. His hands had scarcely landed on her chest and thighs when Hikaru kicked him in the head.

"Idiot, do you want to get yourself killed when Mori sees you?!" Hikaru screamed at him.

"Mori will hardly object when he sees the care with which I handle his blushing bride, the tenderness with which I cradle her to my breast…!" Tamaki declared, sparkles and rose petals appearing all around him.

Hikaru kicked him again, sending the golden prince sprawling. "What kind of idiot are you?!" he shouted. "What makes you think that Mori wants you anywhere near her? Kaoru or I will take her, Mori trusts us!" He moved to attack Tamaki again, but Kaoru was next to him, grabbing his arm and silently reminding him that he really shouldn't be attacking his vampire master.

"The manor is miles away!" Tamaki protested. "You won't be able to keep pace with the rest of us if you're holding her. This obviously calls for a vampire strength and…"

Kyouya cleared his throat grumpily. Haruhi blinked, abruptly realizing that she was now in Kyouya's arms, and he was holding her firmly, but respectfully. "Mori entrusted her safety to me. Now stop fighting and let's go. We're letting the darkness slip away." And he turned away and leapt up, one black shoe-clad foot barely brushing off the wall surrounding the courtyard, giving him enough impetus to clear the rest of the castle. Haruhi gasped and turned her face into Kyouya's chest, not wanting to watch the ground recede.

On the ground below, she could faintly hear Hikaru growl out, "We'll talk about this later," to Tamaki before the twins and the vampire prince followed Kyouya and Haruhi into the night.

* * *

A/N: I just snatched the name of Mey-Rin from Black Butler… one of the best animes ever, and that girl is a stitch… Couldn't help myself… dangit… lol.


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